Stimulation of immediate early gene expression in striatal neurons by nitric oxide

Exposure of primary cultures of embryonic rat striatal neurons to agents releasing nitric oxide (NO), including sin-1 molsidomine, S-nitroso-n-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP), and S-nitrosoglutathione, resulted in an increase in the levels of expression of the immediate early genes c-fos and zif/268 in the cultured neurons. The membrane-permeable cGMP analogue, 8-bromo-cGMP, did not significantly affect c-fos and zif/268 mRNA levels, and the highly selective inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, KT5823, was unable to inhibit the elevation in c-fos and zif/268 mRNA levels induced by SNAP. The induction of c-fos by the calcium ionophore A23187 was reduced by treatment with SNAP or 8-bromo-cGMP. Inhibitors of ADP-ribosyltransferases attenuated the stimulation of c-fos expression by SNAP. These results demonstrate for the first time that NO can induce immediate early gene expression in neurons, suggesting that NO may act as a mediator of neuronal plasticity via alterations in the expression of downstream genes. In addition, the results suggest that NO may exert these effects through a pathway that does not involve guanylate cyclase and cGMP-dependent protein kinase.